However, if you do decide to opt out of the  “& guest” option, you will likely need to be prepared to handle the “& guest” RSVP you’ll receive down the road. No joke here! While many people are quite familiar with the etiquette of wedding responses, you will almost certainly have a guest (or two, or four) who still believe they are entitled to bring a guest. I’m not talking close family here, I’m talking about the long lost cousin or friend who JUST started dating a new guy last week.

This is where a list of prepared responses will come in handy. Examples (feel free to use):

• “We’re so sorry, we’re trying to stick to budget and have already finalized our guest list, but we’ll let you know closer to the date if we have some extra room for your new guy!”
• “We’d love to meet your new boyfriend, but we’re really limited on space for the reception. He’s more than welcome to come to the wedding ceremony though!
• “We’re so excited that you are able to make it to the wedding, however we’re not able to allow everyone a guest. We’ve limited it to husbands, wives and fiances only.”

Always be sure to express your sincere regrets for not being able to allow a date for a guest, when applicable. I know that for most people it’s not that you absolutely want your friend or cousin to come alone to your wedding. It’s just that most people don’t have an unlimited amount of cash (or space) to allow everyone’s boyfriend, girlfriend, close friend, etc.

In the end, you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. But you do want to be reasonable and you should expect the same from your guests. When in doubt, just be upfront and honest…I think in the end it will be appreciated!

Happy planning! Cheers!

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Often times, the guest list can be the primary source for stress during the wedding planning process so we’ve put together a few suggestions to help you make the perfect guest list. Well, maybe not perfect, but we hope it will alleviate or complete eliminate any drama associated with it!

1. Set a Number. One of the very first things you should do when starting your guest list is decide how many people you want to invite – 100, 200, 300, etc. The number of guests can make a significant difference in the cost of a wedding, so be sure you are clear on what that reasonable number is for you. If parents are paying for the wedding, be sure to keep them up to speed too! While the day may not be all about them, I’m quite certain they have a budget in mind and you should work together to stick to it!
2. Keep Your Input Channels Small. The fewer people with input into your guest list, the fewer chances there are for disagreements! In this case smaller is always better – usually the bride, groom and parents. Also, keep in mind who is paying for the bulk of the wedding – if it’s one set of parents, they may want to add friends or co-workers you may not know. Don’t freak out though, that’s where the next two suggestions come in!
3. Decide on Your Rules Upfront. Are children invited? What about plus ones? Co-workers? Long lost friends? There’s a wide array of people in your lives that would love to share your day with you, but you need to decide your guest list rules upfront and set them in stone! Decide whose attendance is most important to you and your parents and do not stray from that. Beau Coup has some great suggestions for handling touchy wedding guest situations.
4. Establish an A and B List. This may sound a little odd but in all reality, unless you have an unlimited budget, you won’t be able to invite everyone you’ve ever met in life to your wedding. Establishing an A and B list tends to help with this situation. The A list are your absolute must comes, the B your “we’d really like them to come if there is room.” Invite those on your A list first and as you start to receive “no” responses, you can begin to invite those on your B list.

General rule to live by regarding the wedding guest list: This is YOUR wedding wedding and it really is about YOU BOTH! In the end, you’re going to want the most important people in your life there to celebrate with you, so be sure to make that the priority!